One of only 17 hospitals to make the Honor Roll of Best Hospitals, Mass General earned high rankings in 16 adult specialties.

Moving up one spot from last year, the MGH ranks second nationally on the 2011-12 U.S. News & World Report Honor Roll in the annual “Best Hospitals” guide. It is the highest ranking ever achieved by the MGH. The hospital also is ranked number one in the Boston metro area.

The MGH came in among the top U.S. hospitals in each of the 16 specialties the survey addresses (see table below) and qualified for the Honor Roll in 15 of these specialties. For the 16th consecutive year, the MGH Department of Psychiatry was ranked the leading program in the country. The MGH’s placement in several specialties – ear, nose and throat; ophthalmology and rehabilitation – reflects its close affiliations and coordination of care with the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI) and Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.

The “Best Hospitals” guide showcases 720 hospitals – 17 of which made the Honor Roll – out of approximately 5,000 nationwide. The rankings are based on numerical data, quality measures, procedure volume and death rates, as well as responses from a national physician survey. The rankings were published online July 19 and will be available in a printed guidebook Aug. 30.

Pediatric specialties are ranked separately from adult specialties, and in this year’s pediatric results, which were published in May, MassGeneral Hospital for Children ranked nationally in six specialty areas.